Mixing apparatus



Dec. 5, 1967 H. s. BURR ETAL 3,356,350

MIXING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Shea?. 1

Filed sept. 28, 1966 FEW Dec. 5, 1967 H. s. BURR ETAL MIXING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 28, 1966 1N VEN 1 ORS HAROLD S BLRR. GERALD W-SCHARDT.

ATTORNEY Knr United States Patent O 3,356,350 MIXING APPARATUS Harold S. Burr, Syracuse, and Gerald W. Schardt, Camillus, N.Y., assignors to Strathmore Products, Inc., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 582,644 3 Claims. (Cl. 259-135) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Mixing device having hollow support column with upper spaced annular guides in which is slidably disposed a cylindrical telescopic extension raised and lowered by a concentric lift cylinder and piston within the column; the extension having at its upper end a tubular laterally extending arm supporting on its outer end a vertical axis bearing housing with spaced bearings above and below the arm, and a mixer shaft journalled in the bearings and coupled to a hydraulic variable speed motor mounted above the bearing housing, the apparatus including a telescopic conduit within the cylinder and piston for delivering high pressure fluid to the motor, and the motor discharge being dumped into the tubular arm whence it flows down the telescopic extension in the space between the lift cylinder and extension and column, the device having a lock ring adapted to frictionally grip the exterior of the tubular extension, and the ring having an outboard split clamp for frictionally holding a vertical rod depending from a bracket on the arm, and hydraulic controls for delivering hydraulic fluid to the motor through a flow control valve to provide a speed range from zero to full speed for the motor, and controls for admitting hydraulic fluid to either end of the lift cylinder and hold the same at a selected level.

This invention relates to dispersion or mixing apparatus, and more particularly to hydraulic operation of such apparatus.

In dispersion apparatus, it has been the general practice to drive the stirring impeller by an electric motor, employing variable speed drives such as a Reeves drive. In large mixing apparatus the size and weight of such apparatus renders the same cumbersome, and the variable speed drive, driven by a constant speed motor, generally does not provide a full range of speeds, especially in the lower range. Since such apparatus is used to mix paints employing highly inflammable materials, all motors, switches and the like must, for safety, be fully shielded electrically, resulting in costly installations.

The present invention is directed to apparatus for mixing, adapted to large sizes, wherein the entire operation is hydraulic, and the re hazard from electric operation eliminated. ln addition the apparatus is centered about a hydraulic lift for raising and lowering the impeller from the mixing vats, the impeller being driven by a hydraulic motor disposed on a lateral arm in which the upper end of the impeller shaft is journalled. Hydraulic power is supplied to the motor through the lift cylinder so as to eliminate all flexible conduits in the high pressure hydraulic motor supply lines, and the construction is such that the impeller support arm may be swung to any position a full 360 degrees around the lift. The above features in combination with simplification provide an apparatus of extreme ruggedness, with a full range of mixing speeds, and reduced weight and bulk, while eliminating entirely the use of electrical energy from the mixing room.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more full-y hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood that the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the mixing apparatus, with the mixing head in a lower position;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view through the support and elevating apparatus, the same being exaggerated transversely for clarity; and

FIGURE 4 is a hydraulic circuit diagram.

Referring to FIGURE l, there is shown a base plate 20, and an upstanding heavy hollow column 22, which may serve to a degree as a reservoir for hydraulic fluid. Upon the upper end of the column is a guide sleeve 24, in which is slidably mounted a tubular cylindrical member 26, having a rigid lateral arm 28 reaching to a bearing sleeve 30 in which the shaft 32 of the mixer is journalled on spaced bearings as at 33 and 35. Above the upper end of the bearing sleeve, is mounted a hydraulic motor 34, having a direct connection to the shaft 32 through a coupling indicated as at 36, to drive the impeller 16.

Referring to FIGURE 3 wherein the lateral diameters of the parts of the supporting column have been exaggerated about two times, for clarity, the column 22 is provided with an annular collar 40, upon which is mounted the guide sleeve 24, with its upper and lower guide collars 42 and 44, in which the cylindrical member 26 may slide or rotate. The upper end of the member 26 is provided with a flange 46 to which the llange 48 of the support arm 28 is attached. The arm 28 is joined to the bearing sleeve 30 by a short tubular member 50, and the same is attached to the arm 28, -by a circular plate 52, secured to the flange 54, the plate acting to close off the hollow arm 28, the arm 28 being entirely open from the plate 52 to its attachment flange 48, so as to serve as a return duct for hydraulic uid.

Within the cylindrical member 26 is a hydraulic elevating cylinder 60 having upper and lower heads 64 and 62, of square external configuration, which may be joined by tension members 66, such members also mounting the lower cylinder head V62, upon the upper square flange 68 of a tubular pedestal 70, extending upwardly from, and mounted on the base 20. Within the cylinder 60 is an annular piston 72, having a tubular piston rod 74 projecting upwardly through suitable seal rings in the head 64. The upper end of the tubular piston is provided with an exterior shoulder 76, and is seated in a collar 78 welded in an aperture in the upper side of the arm 28. The end of the tubular piston rod has an exterior thread, and is held to the arm 28 by a nut 30, The end of the piston rod is provided with a high pressure pipe thread, and a fitting l82, connecting the tubular piston rod with a high pressure delivery conduit 84 leading to the hydraulic motor 34.

Telescoped within the hollow piston rod 74 is a tubular member 86, the lower end of which is fixed as by a split circular key 63 disposed between the end members 65 and 67 of the lower head 62, and an O-ring seal 88 is located in a groove in the member 67. The lower end of the pedestal 70 is provided with a block 90 having a passage 92, adapted to be supplied with hydraulic high pressure fluid by the conduit 94 to drive the hydraulic motor 34. The hydraulic return for the motor 34 comprises a conduit 96, discharging into the hollow arm 28. Suitable connections to the cylinder heads 62 and 64 are provided, as at and 102.

It can be seen, from the foregoing, that the arm 28 can be raised or lowered as desired by introducing or discharging hydraulic iluid into the cylinder 60, above and below the piston 72, by the conduits 100 and 102, and that high pressure uid reaches the hydraulic motor through the hollow pedestal, telescopic tubular member 86, hollow piston rod 74 and conduit 84 to the motor 34. An O-ring seal 106 between the tubular member and hollow piston rod is provided. The arm 28, supported on the piston rod 74, and guided by the cylindrical member 26, is freely swung to any position. Hence the mixing apparatus can serve a plurality of mixing receptacles disposed around the column 22, the shaft and mixing head being readily elevated and swung to any position to serve as desired.

In order to x the elevation and direction of the arm 28, an annular clamp and laterally disposed vertically extending bar may be provided. Such a bar 110 has its upper end fixed in a heavy bracket 112 projecting from the arm 28. The rod 110 projects through a split aperture 114 in the projecting portion 116 of the split collar 118. The split collar tits around the upper end of the guide sleeve 24, immediately above the ange 120. Suitable hand screws 122, and 124 are provided for clamping the collar against rotation, and the rod 110 against vertical movement, to hold any selected stirring rod position selected.

Hydraulic control of the lift, and the speed of the hydraulic motor is effected by hydraulic circuitry as indicated in FIGURE 4. A pump 130, which may be of a xed volume, or variable volume type, is driven by an electric motor 132. The pump draws hydraulic fluid from the sump 134. A pressure relief valve 136 returns oil to the sump, when excess pressure develops. The main line extends to a pressure compensated ow control valve, indicated at 140, which delivers hydraulic liuid through line 94 to the hydraulic motor 34. A branch line 142 extends to a manual flow control valve 144, from which pressure uid is delivered to conduit 100, through a manually operated two-way control valve 146. When the two-way control valve is iny the position indicated, the conduit 102 is connected through the valve 146 to the sump as at 148. A pilot check valve 150 is provided in the line 100 to prevent return ow, and thus hold any elevation of the arm 28, attained by lifting the piston 72 of the cylinder 60. By reversing the valve 146, fluid pressure is applied to line 102, to cause the piston 72 to lower. The check valve 150 is unseated -by a pilot port 152. connected to the line 102, so that oil from line 100 may flow through the unseated check valve 150 and through valve 146 to the sump 148, which latter may be merely the interior of the casing 22, which in turn drains into the main sump 134, as at 154. It will be recalled that the discharge from the hydraulic motor from conduit 96 may also dump into the casing 22 through the hollow cylinder 26.

It will be seen that except for the controls, which may be located as convenience may dictate, the electric motor 132 and pump. 130 and sump may be arranged at a distance away from the mixing room, so that no electrical connections, switches or the like need be in the room where the mixing of highly combustible and explosive gases may lurk, and the mixing device, is readily operated at any speed, and readily shifted so as to serve any one of a plurality of vats.

While a single modification of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. As various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A mixing apparatus comprising a hollow support column, having spaced annular `guide collars at its upper end, a cylindrical hollow tubular member telescopically disposed in said collars, a laterally extending tubular arm axed to the upper end of said tubular member and opening thereinto, a mixing shaft bearing housing on the end of said arm having spaced bearings disposed above and below said arm and a mixing shaft journalled therein, a hydraulic motor mounted on the housing and coupled to said shaft, an elevating cylinder disposed concentrically within said tubular member, said elevating cylinder having an apertured piston and hollow piston rod, the upper end of which is axed to said arm, means for supporting said elevating cylinder from its lower end in lixed relation to said column, a tube extending from the lower end of said elevating cylinder upwardly through said apertured piston and telescopically into said hollow piston rod, means for delivering fluid under pressure to said elevating cylinder to move said piston and raise and lower said arm, means for delivering high pressure Huid to drive said motor through said last named tube and said hollow piston rod, said means including a conduit connected to the upper end of said hollow piston rod to said motor and a discharge connection from said motor to said tubular arm for return flow into said hollow column.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the arm is provided with a depending rod, and said column is provided with a frictional clamp for said rod.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the arm is provided With a depending rod, and the support column has an annular split ring adapted to be clamped to the column, and said ring is provided with a frictional clamp for said rod.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,018,666 1/1962 Hoffman 259--135 X 3,023,580 3/1962 Dilg 259-135 X 3,135,499 6/1964 Brown 259-135 WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT W. JENKINS, Examiner. 

1. A MIXING APPARATUS COMPRISING A HOLLOW SUPPORT COLUMN, HAVING SPACED ANNULAR GUIDE COLLARS AT ITS UPPER END, A CYLINDRICAL HOLLOW TUBULAR MEMBER TELESCOPICALLY DISPOSED IN SAID COLLARS, A LATERALLY EXTENDING TUBULAR ARM AFFIXED TO THE UPPER END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AND OPENING THEREINTO, A MIXING SHAFT BEARING HOUSING ON THE END OF SAID ARM HAVING SPACED BEARINGS DISPOSED ABOVE AND BELOW SAID ARM AND A MIXING SHAFT JOURNALLED THEREIN, A HYDRAULIC MOTOR MOUNTED ON THE HOUSING AND COUPLED TO SAID SHAFT, AN ELEVATING CYLINDER DISPOSED CONCENTRICALLY WITHIN SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, SAID ELEVATING CYLINDER HAVING AN APERTURED PISTON AND HOLLOW PISTON ROD, THE UPPER END OF WHICH IS AFFIXED TO SAID ARM, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID ELEVATING CYLINDER FROM ITS LOWER END IN FIXED RELATION TO SAID COLUMN, A TUBE EXTENDING FROM THE LOWER END OF SAID ELEVATING CYLINDER UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID APERTURED PISTON AND TELESCOPICALLY INTO SAID HOLLOW PISTON ROD, MEANS FOR DELIVERING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE TO SAID ELEVATING CYLINDER TO MOVE SAID PISTON AND RAISE AND LOWER SAID ARM, MEANS FOR DELIVERING HIGH PRESSURE FLUID TO DRIVE SAID MOTOR THROUGH SAID LAST NAMED TUBE AND SAID HOLLOW PISTON ROD, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A CONDUIT CONNECTED TO THE UPPER END OF SAID HOLLOW PISTON ROD TO SAID MOTOR AND A DISCHARGE CONNECTION FROM SAID MOTOR TO SAID TUBULAR ARM FOR RETURN FLOW INTO SAID HOLLOW COLUMN. 